I Forgive You
by S. A. Arkenburgh
Summary: A certain someone shows up at another certain someone's home and apologizes for everything terrible they've done, and it isn't who everybody would expect.


**This takes place after the "Down the Rabbit Hole" episode:**

Life sucks.

No, _existence_ sucks (since I'm not technically alive).

There he stood before me, rage simmering below the surface of his eyes, blonde hair in an uproar, and scruff growing on his face after being days of being trapped in Elena's living room. Somehow, I felt nothing but guilt after he listed off all the things he's done for my sake alone…

Because he loves me…

Because he's _in_ love with me.

And I've done nothing but take advantage of that weakness in him.

He walked off of Elena's porch, but somehow I don't think he'd be leaving so soon if I had anything to say about it.

I'm a terrible person.

_Later that night…_

I didn't know what I was doing here—in his house. Was it too late to sneak out the back? Had he already left and given Tyler an extremely short head start?

The answer was no, because he stood before me with that same saddening, raging simmer in his blue eyes.

"What are you doing here, Caroline?" he asked in his thick English accent.

"I figured that I have something to say," I responded in a shaky voice.

"You figure a clean break would be better?" he laughs dryly. "Well, go on then. You might as well get it over with. I mean, how much more pain can you cause me?"

"Thank you, Klaus," I said. "You're more of a man than anybody I've ever met."

"Are we being a distraction, now?" he gave a sarcastic smile while walking across the living room to pour himself a drink.

"No," I say after sighing. "I came to verbalize my gratitude…and to apologize."

"Apologize?" he said. "Why?"

"You're in love with me," I explain, "and I take that for granted a lot. I'm either doing it for personal gain, or as a distraction. I've lied to you, I've hurt you, I've betrayed you, and I'm sorry."

"I'm evil, Caroline," he said as he sipped his liquor. "I lie, hurt, and betray people all of the time."

"But not to me," I reply suddenly. "You've never lied to me. You've always been honest and clear about your intentions no matter how good or bad they were. You've never betrayed me, while I sat at the bar with a straight face and put on this façade to buy time for my friends. In fact Klaus, you've saved my life at least three times, including last night when you could've let me die, and I've done nothing but show ingratitude. I don't expect you to trust me after everything I've done to you, but I'm telling you the truth now."

"How do I know?" he asked with intent eyes that made me feel bare and vulnerable.

"You can compel me if you like," I say honestly. "You're right, too. I _don't_ want the cure. I love being strong and fearless. I don't want to go back to being the girl I was. She was weak and superficial. Her biggest problems were those that included what to wear to the latest events. I never want to be her again."

He stared at me, expressionless.

"If you want to go out and kill Tyler, and I know you will because you're stronger and smarter," I continue, "then I can't stop you. All I can say is that I wish you wouldn't. After thinking about how much forgiveness I truly want from you after my actions, I _know_ for a fact that I can forgive you of yours if you'd just _stop_."

His face was still blank, but his eyes had a different simmer behind them.

"That date," I mentioned. "The one at the Miss Mystic pageant? Well, it was one of the greatest days I'd ever experienced. You were genuine, and I saw the side that very few get the opportunity to see. Klaus, you're not evil—you're simply trying to mask all those centuries of pain with evil and power. I'm an idiot for not seeing that until now, and I'm rambling, so I'm just going to stop here."

He finally moved towards me with an angry expression and a quiet (but menacing) tone, "I'll ask you again, Love. Why should I, and how can I believe you?"

"Klaus," I said as I looked into his stormy blue eyes, "who's here? Elena, the Salvatore boys, Bonnie, your sister, and Shane are all on some deserted island trying to take a legendary cure for vampirism, and Tyler is long gone. If you want to go find him first so you're certain I'm not being a distraction, then go, but nobody is here with a plan that involves me distracting you. I'm not going to be an annoyance or liability for the fun of it. If I didn't feel the need to apologize, I'd probably be at home taking a hot bubble bath, trying to release all this tension in my body and googling whether vampires could get gray hair and wrinkles from excess stress."

There was a whisper of a hint of a smile playing on his face, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Why is this funny, Caroline?" he said seriously.

I giggled once more, "It's funny because you're still unsure whether to believe me when I'm telling you the whole truth. I'm baring my heart out on my sleeves and you still have that wall up. I must've done some serious damage, but Klaus, I won't tell anybody."

"Why not?"

"Because that would ruin any chances of further continuing what I'm about to do."

"What are you about to do?" he asked with curiosity.

"I'm going to do what I originally came here to do besides apologize," I laughed.

I ran at him with vampire speed, tackled him to the ground, straddled his waist, and kissed him.

Hard…

When I didn't think I was going to get a response, I began to pull away, but before I could, he grabbed both sides of my waist, and flipped me over so that I was on the floor under him.

His lips were hot and soft as he returned my kiss, and I was positive that centuries of experience caused this kiss to be the greatest one I'd ever taken part in.

"I really am sorry," I mumbled under him.

He pulled away and looked me in the eyes with genuine sincerity, "I forgive you."


End file.
